Gear-cutting machine



E. W. BULLOCK AND G. H. BRYAFL GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1917- I I Patented July 19, 1921.

YSHEETS-SHEET 1.

5 M m m N WITNESSES:

" I m 532M122 E. W. BULLOCK AND G. H. BRYAN GEAR CUT'HNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1917.-

1,385,200\\ Patented. July 19', 1921.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2- E. W. BULLOCK AND G. H, BRYAN. GEAR CUTTING MACHiNE.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 1 1917.

Patented July 19, 1921.,

7SHEE1SSHEET 3.

WITNESSES: 'z INVENTORS E. W. BULLOCK AND (1. H. BRYAN. GEAR CUTTING MACHiNE.

7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1917. 1,385,200. Patented July 19, 1921.

TSHEETS-SHEET 4.

III 19 l 2 WITNESSES: N WE N 70195 BRYAN.

E. W. BULLOCK AND G. H.

GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1917 Patented. July 19, 1921.

lSHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. w. BULLOCK AND G. H. BRYAN.

GEAR CUTTING'MACHINE.

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UNITED STATES ATENT omen.

EDWARD w. BULLOCK AND GEORGE H. BRYAN, or BO0HEs'1EB,-NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBS T0 GLEASON WORKS; or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A coRro amou or new YORK.

GEAR-CUTTING MACHINE.-

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented July 19, 1921.

Application filed June 7, 1917. Serial No, 173,3;

have invented certain new and useful Im provements 1n Gear-Cutting Machines; and

we do hereby declare the following to be a full clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference characters marked thereon.

The present invention involves several improvements pertaining to gear cutting Inachinery and has to do particularly with the production of bevel pinions having teeth of in g an entirely automatic machine. To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will hereinafter more fully described the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification. y

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a gear cutter equipped with. the novel features of the invention, and arrai'iged for cutting a pinion which is'in position;

Fig. 2 is a plan View;

Fig. 3 an end view of the drive gearing;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view onv line l -4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view partially in elevation on line (r-6 oi Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation looking at Fig. t in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8*-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5) isa sectional view on line 9 -4) of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional View on line 1O"----1O of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line li -11 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 12 is an end view of the in m nism with part of,the casing removed, and showing the parts in normal position;

I F 1g. 13 is a similar view showing the poslt on of the parts of the index mechanism at the moment the blank spindle is about to be turned for indexing;

Fig. 14 is a detail view of the controlling sto) for the index mechanism *ig. 15 is a side elevation. of the parts of the index mechanism partially in section;

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the gear blank to the generatng crown gear and segment, when adjusted into cutting relation with the cutter, and

Fig. 17 is a detail sectional .view on the line 17-17 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters throughout the several views indicate the same parts, The invention is illustrated asapplied to a machine employing a rotary face milling cutter, and of the general type in which the cutter and gear blank are moved out of cutting rela tion with each other at the completion of one toothspace permitting the blank to be indexed to the next tooth space after which the blank and cutter are again brought into operative relationship. The features of the invention are not necessarily to be confined to this particular form of apparatus which is illustrated merely to exemplify a practicable embodiment. For a brief understanding if the construction generally, it may be sztid that the rotary cutter head is carried by a continuously driven internal gear which is journaled in and adjustable on a supporting frame. The supporting frame is sub jected to anoscillatory motion, imparting a generating movement to the rotary cutter head. The rotar cutter head and cutter spindle are periodically moved lengthwise of the spindle axis, to bring the cutter into and out of operative engagement with the gear blank. which isautomatieally indexed dur' ing the time that the cutter is withdrawn. The indexing takes place through the agency ct a stationary member or stop mounted on the frame in the path of the index mechanism, which is carried by a generating sleeve, and normally locked in engagement with the blank spindle, the latter being turned independently of the generating sleeve through the space of one tooth when the parts are disengaged.

With this brief description, the structure will be more clearly understood from consideration of the mechanism in which ,(referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 10), 1 designates the gear blank which is illustrated in the form of a pinion, and 2 is the cutter head mounted on the cutter spindle 3 and provided with a plurality of individual tools or cutters 4 arranged in a circular path about the center of the cutter head so as to travel through the gear blank in a circular path. The cutter head 2 is fixed to. the internal gear 5 which is driven by a pinion 6, the latter being carried by a spindle 7 having fixed to its outer end a driving pulley 8. The spindle 7 is arranged in suitable bearings in a holder 9 which is adjustably at-. tached upon the plate 10. The holder 9 is pivoted upon the plate 10 so as to be adjustable upon the axis of a bolt 11 therein and is held in adjusted position by suitable bolts 12 which engage the guideway 18 of the plate 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 10. Adjustment of the holder is obtained by loosening the bolts 12 and turning theworm 14, which latter is carried by the plate 10 and cooperates with a threaded portion upon the holder '9. The plate 10 is laterally adjustable upon a supporting frame 15 by means of guideways 16 and cooperating securing devices 17 and the supporting frame 15 is rotatable upon a circular bearing 18 of the stationary bed of the machine to impart the necessary generating or rolling motion to the cutter head as will be more fully described presently. From the description thus far. it will be apparent that the cutter head and cutter spindle are mounted eccentrically with reference to the rotary axis of the supporting frame 15 and the position of the cutter head with reference to the axis about which it swings bodily can be varied through the adjustments just referred to, making it possible to move the cutter head either laterally, upwardly or downwardly in relation to the rotary axis or center of the supporting frame 15. After being thus adjusted, when the machine is in operation, the cutter head is in rotary motion with its toolstraveling through .the blank in a circular path, and at the same time the bodily swinging movement of the cutter head causes it to traverse the '1 gear blank after the fashion of a crown gear being moved bodily across a mating gear, the cutting tool in action corresponding to a tooth of the imaginary gear.

In order to impart the necessary oscillating motion to the supporting frame 15, and

consequent generating motion to the cutter head, the supporting frame has pivoted to it a connecting rod 19, as shown in Fig. 3, and the connecting rod 19 is adjusl'ably attached to a plate 20 which is pivoted upon a stationary standard 21, Fig. 7. The plate 20 carries a. pin or projection 22 engaging av cam slot 23 in the cam plate 24. T he cam plate 24. is secured upon a shaft 35 as shown in Fig. (5, which also carries a worm wheel 26 driven by worm 27. The worm 27 is mountcd upon a shaft which carries a bevel gear 28 driven by a cotipcrating bevel gear 29 upon a second shaft which has fixed thereto at its outer end a spur gear 30. Spur gear 30 is driven by a coiiperatii'ig spur gear il fixed upon a shaft 32. provided with a bevel gear 33, the latter-being driven by a bevel gear 34 at the lower end of a vertical spindle 35, which is operated from the main drive shaft 7 throughthe bevel pinions 36 and 37 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The cam slot 23 is so formed that by its continuous rotation, it moves the connecting rod first in one direction and then in the other, causing the cutter head supporting frameto be oscillated, and thereby;- ieeding the cutter head. across the gear blank first in one direction and then in the other and imparting the proper generated shape or profile to the side face of each tooth during the movement .in one direction, which curve is usually that of an involute or closely ap -iroximate thereto.

It is necessary that the cutter head be fed into the blank in order to cut the proper depth, and at the end of the cutting operation, be removed from utting relation. to permit the blank to be indexed, and to accomplish this we employ a mechanism that operates the cutter spindle in a direction. longitudinally of its own axis as will now be described. The cutter spindle 3 is arranged within a sleeve 38 which is movable for rotation independently of the cutter spindle but said sleeve and spindle are fixed against relative endwise movement by the cooperating tapered portion..3) and 40 at one end as shown in Fig. 10, and a head 4-1 carried by the outer end of the spindle and engaging the outer end of the sleeve. A periodic endwi se movement is imparted la) the sleeve 38 and consequently to the cutter spindle 3 through the instrumentality of two relatively movable cam members, one of which is attached to the sleeve 38, and the other of which is independently mounted and according to a preferred arrangement we attach a cam 42 to the sleeve 38 as shown in Fig. 8. Coiiperating with the cam 42 is a cam member in the form of a pin or projection 4-3 which is stationarily located while the sleeve 38 and its cam member aresupported by means of a threaded rod 45 in abearing 45 which also houses the sleeve 38. The cam projection 43 can thus be adjusted in one direction or the other to allow for wear of the parts and shortening of the, cutter blades, in sharpening, while the amount of. movement of the sleeve 38 endwise remains the same and is determined "by the shape of the cam 42 which is such as o impart to the cutter head a slow feedingdn movement toward the center of the blank for cutting, and a quick withdrawing motion after which the cutter head is held out of engagement from the blank long' enough to permit the indexin mechanism to-operate as. Wi l be descr be prese tly; The s eeve 38 is rotated through the instrumentality of a gear 47 as shown in Fig. 3 which coiiperates with teeth 48 formed upon the outer end of the sleeve 38 as appears in Figs. 3 and 8. The gear 47 is driven from a 005perating 'ear wheel 49 (see Fi s. 3 and 6) and the latter is fixed on an ar1o1'50 carrying a bevel pinion 5'1 driven by a cooperat ing bevel pinion 52 fixed upon the upper end of a vertical spindle 53. The latter car ries at its lower end a bevel pinion 54 driven by a-codperating bevel gear 55 which is fixed upon the aforementioned shaft 25 as shown in Fig. 6.

The gear blank 1 is suitably fixed upon a blank spindle 56 as usual in this class of machines, and the blank spindle 56 is arranged within a generating sleeve 57 which is normally locked to the blank spindle and turned slowly during the cutting operation to impart the necessary generating motion to the gear blank about its axis. To accomplish this thegenerating sleeve 57 car ries an arm 58 having a generatinggear segment at its outer edge which codperates with a generating crown gear 59, the latter being attached to a projecting arm 60 that is carried by the aforesaid supporting frame 1.5. Thus during the oscillatory movement of the supporting frame 15, the generating sleeve 5'7 is correspondingly oscillated and carries with it the blank spindle 56, except when the latter is released to effect the in dexing operation. Fig. 16 shows diagrammatically the relative positions of the cutter head, gear blank, and generating crown gear and segment and while this arrange ment may be varied inaccordance with any preferred gear practice, We so adjust the gear blank and spindle that the cutters will always travel in a plane parallel to the root line or base of the tooth. The blank s indle and generating sleeve are arranger in suitable standards 61 which are adjustable upon a bed 62 and when the parts are set up for commencing an operation, the blank is moved in toward the cutter until it is in such position that the plane of travel of the tools is parallel to a line extending along the base or root .of the tooth to be out; Lengthwise adjustment of the blank spindle is secured through an adjusting inion 63 which engages teeth upon a spin le 64,

sleeve 57 and blank spindle 56as appears in v locked with reone of a series of notches 68 in a lock ng disk 69 which is keyed to-the blank spindle 56. The locking pawl is held in locking engagement by a spring 70 and is lifted out of engagement with the locking disk 69 as the generating sleeve is moved in one direction said movement of the generating sleeve 57 causing a pivoted star wheel 71 to be turned by enga ement with a relatively stationary stop in t e form of a pawl or pro'ection 72 in the path of movementof sai star wheel, whichin turn engages the tail piece 73 of the arm 65 as shown in Fig. 13 to release the awl 65. When this occurs, the blank spindle is rotated through the space of one tooth in the following manner. Keyed upon the blank spindle is a ratchet wheel 74 with which cooperates an actuating member or ratchet pawl 75, the I latter being pivotally mounted at '77 upon the carrier 80. The pawl 7 5 is actuated by a spring 78 and is normally held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 74 by the locking pawl 65 which engages a tailpiece 79 of the pawl as shown in Fig. 12. The carrier 80 on which the ratchet pawl is mounted comprises a gear wheel which is loosely journaled upon a bearing 81 as shown in Fig. 11, and engaging the gear wheel 80 is a gear-segment 82 which is fixedon an arbor 83 rotatably supported ;np0n the c ar-- rier plate 67 and movable therewith durlng' oscillation of the generating sleeve 57. Arbor 83 also carries a gear segment 84 arranged for engagement with a stationary tooth 85 on the housing 89 as the dog 65 moves from the position shown in Fig. 12 to that shown in Fig. 13. As the plate 67 is oscillated from the normal or starting position shown in Fig. 12, itswings about the axis of the blank spindle during the generating and cutting action and the gear segment 84 slides over the adjacent portion of thehousing 89 until it engages the tooth to index for one tooth space.

ment in one direction the return motion takes place, and the parts are so timed that -which thereby turns the ratchet wheel 74 and with it the blank spindle 56 sufficiently As soon as the generating sleeve 50 has moved far enough to carry the star wheel 71 beyond the paw; 72, the locking pawl 65 is forced back into locking position, at the same time causing disengagement of the ratchet pawl 75 with the ratchet wheel 74:, andby this time the blank spindle and locking disk 69 will have been carried around to bring the next notch 68 .into locking relation with the locking pawl 65, thus in exing the blank spindle to bring the next tooth into cutting relation. The stop or controlling pawl 72 is pivoted upon a pin 86 and has a limited movement between the shoulders 87 and 88, which is sufficient to permit the indexing parts to move in one direction, or anticlockwise, without effecting any operation, the pawl 72 merely turning about its axis to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 14, but upon the return movement of the indexing mechanism, the pawl is in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 13 and .142, being held by the shoulder 87 and then engages the star wheel 71 to effect the operation already described. The index mechanism is arranged within a'- housing 89 which is provided with a hinged door or closure 90.

V7 e claim as our invention:

1. In a gear cutting machine, the combination with a cutter spindle, of a sleeve in which the cutter spindle is freely rotatable and held against relative endwise movement, a cam and cooperating cam member, one of which parts is carried by said sleeve, and means for driving one of said cam parts to effect endwise reciprocating movement of the sleeve and cutter spindle.

2. In a gear cutting machine, the combinationwith a cutter spindle, of a sleeve in which the cutter/ spindle is freely rotatable and held against relative endwise movement, a. camfixed on the sleeve, a cam member cooperating therewith and means for rotating one of said cam parts, acting to effect endwise reciprocating feeding movement of the sleeve and cutter spindle.

3. In a gear cutting machine, the combination with a cutter spindle and an internal gear fixed thereto, of a pinion engaging said gear for driving the cutter spindle, a sleeve in which the cutter spindle is freely rotatable and held against relative endwise movement, a cam and cooperating cam member, and means for rotating one of said cam parts to effect endwise reciprocatory feeding movement of the sleeve and the cutter spindle.

4;. In a gear cutting machine, the combination with a cutter spindle and an internal gear fixed thereto, a pinion engaging said gear for driving the cutter spindle, a. sleeve in which the cutter spindle is freely rotatable and held against relative endwise movement, a cam carried by the sleeve, a cooperating cam menil or which is relatively fixed, and means for rotating the sleeve to effect endwise reciprosating feeding movement of the sleeve and the cutter spindle.

5. In a gear generating machine, the combination with a circular bearing, of a. supporting frame journalcd in said bearing, means for imparting an oscillatory movement to the frame in said bearing, and a cutter head arranged eccentrically of the supporting frame and movable independent y thereof.

6. In a gear generating machinc,.the combination with a circular bearing, of a supporting frame journalcd in said bearing, means for in'iparting an oscillatory movement to the frame in said bearing, and a rotary face milling cutter mounted eccentrically of the supporting frame and movable independently thereof.

In a gear generating machine, the combination with a circular bearing, of a supporting frame journaled in said bearing, means for imparting an oscillatory movement to the frame in said bearing, a rotary face milling cutter mounted eccentrically of the supporting frame and movable independently thereof, and adjusting means for varying theposition of the cutter head on the frame.

8. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a support having a bearing therein, a frame journaled in said bearing, a revoluble cutter head eccentrically mounted in said frame, pivotally supported means connected to said frame and means for imparting a predetermined oscillatory movement to said pivotally supported means.

9. Ina gear cutting machine, the combination of asupport having a bearing than in, a frame journaled in said bearing, a alienble cutter head eccentrically mounted in said frame, a pivoted plate operatively connected to said frame, and means for imparting a predetermined pivotal movement to said plate for oscillating said frame:

10. In a gear cutting machine, the combination. of a support having a bearing therein, a frame journaled in said bearing, a rev oluble cutter head eccentrically mounted in said frame, a pivoted plate, a. rod connected to said fame and adjustably connected to said plate, anda cam adapted tr impart an oscillatory movement to said pivoted plate.

11. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a support having a bearing there in, a frame journaled in said bearing, a revolublc cutter head eccentrically mounted in said frame, means for imparting a predetermined oscillatory movement to said frame, and means for simultaneously moving said cutter head axially in said frame.

12. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a support, a revoluble cutter head, a shaft adjustable relatively to said cutter headfind adapted to support a gear blank, mcans for feeding said cutter head transversely and longitudinally of its axis to the gear blank, and means for automatically positioning said gear blank for successive teeth.

13. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of an oscillating frame, a cutter head revolubly mounted therein, a shaft adapted to support a gear blank in operative relation to said cutter head, means for axially reciprocating the cutter head in said frame and means operatively connected to said oscillating frame for moving said shaft to effect indexing.

1a. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted frame, means for oscillating said frame, a cutter head revolubly mounted in said frame eccentrically thereof, a shaft adapted to support a gear blank in operative relation to said cutter head, means for axially reciprocating the cutter head in said frame, anda gear on said oscillating frame adapted to move said shaft to effect indexing.

15. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted frame, means for oscillating said frame, a cutter head. revolubly mounted in said frame eecentrically thereof, a shaft adapted to support a gear blank in operative relation to said cutter head, means for axially reciprocating the cutter head in said frame, a sleeve in which said shaft is mounted, and means for transmitting motion from said frame to said sleeve.

16. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted frame, means for oscillating said frame, a cutter head rew olubly mounted in said frame eccentrically thereof, a shaft adapted to support a gear blank in operative relation to said cutter head, means for axially reciprocating the cutter head in said f 'ame, a generating sleeve in which said shaft is mounted, means on said frame for rotating said sleeve, and means controlled by said sleeve for rotating said shaft to effect indexing.

17. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted frame, means for oscillating said frame, a cutter head revolubly mounted in said frame, a shaft adapt ed to support a gear blank in operative re lation to aid cutter head, means controlled by said frame for rotating said shaft to effect imlexing, and means for withdrawing said head during the indexing operation.

18. In a gear cutting machine, the combination of a support having a bearing there in, a frame journaled in said bearing, a cut ter head mounted in said frame for rotation about an axis eccentric to the axis of said support bearing, a rotary blank spindle, said cutter hea d and spindle being relatively adjustable to accommodate blank of different size, driving means for rotating said cutter head, means for feeding the latter to ward and \vitlnlrawing the same from a blank carried by said spindle, generating means effecting relative rolling action betwecirsaid cutter head and spindle, and indexing means for shifting the spindle during the \vithdraval of the cutter head.

ED\VARD \V. BULLOCK. GEORGE H. BRYAN. 

